In order to work as a real estate salesperson in New Jersey, first of all, you need to get a real estate license. There are some simple requirements that you need to meet. They are quite similar in every state of the US. In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide, which will help you to complete your real estate licensure process in New Jersey.
First of all, to be able to start your real estate licensure process in New Jersey you must be at least 18 years old. Also, you must have a high school education or take a 75-hour pre-licensure course at a licensed school and pass the licensure examination. After completing your education you can apply for a license via a sponsoring real estate broker.
Note: You don’t need a college degree to work as a real estate agent, but it will be a benefit to have.
You must provide a fingerprint and a background check. During the background check, they will investigate your criminal history. Don’t panic, if you have some simple criminal history, it doesn’t mean that you are not going to get your license. The real estate board in New Jersey will consider some facts (the crime type, when the crime was committed) and then decide whether you can get a license or not.
For the fingerprinting process, you need to pay $66.05( non-refundable) directly to the IDEMIA.
Important to know, in New Jersey state you are not able to apply for your real estate license if you take a course and pass an exam in another state.
In New Jersey before applying for your license you need to complete 75 hours of pre-licensing coursework. You can take this coursework either online or in person. Online classes are more preferred as you will learn about the real estate industry by reading the materials and taking online tests.
Make sure that the institution where you are going to take these courses is licensed. Otherwise, your credits won’t be considered and you will need to take these courses one more time. All the licensed institutions are on the list of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission’s website. Here is the list of all the licensed institutions.
These courses will give you knowledge about practices, principles, and laws as approved by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission. Also, you will learn about housing ethics and discrimination on top of other topics, like how to determine the price of the house. In a word, these courses will give you everything that you need to be good at your job.
After completing your coursework you have a year to pass the exam for a New Jersey real estate license. To register and schedule your exam go to the website Pearson VUE. On this site, you also can pay for your New Jersey real estate exam. The exam fee is $45.
Note: If your documents are expired, you won’t be allowed to take the exam.
Immediately after completing the test, you will get your exam score. If you pass it, you need to move forward and complete the other steps to get your real estate license. If not you need to return back and retake the exam.
A sponsoring Broker is a person that is like a mentor for you. This person should be your supervisor and they must teach you the ropes of real estate and lead through this journey. Sponsoring Brokers is also important because they must sign your real estate license application before submitting it.
Don’t hurry while choosing the sponsoring broker as you are going to work with them for a long time and they play an important role in your career. Before making a decision do some research and talk with different brokers. You can also visit the office and make sure that it is a comfortable place for you.
The next step is the submission of your application. Make sure that you complete your application correctly, answer all the questions properly, and provide all the documentation. Otherwise, your application can be either returned or delayed.
It is important, to be honest in your answers and provide all the information about you. The New Jersey Real Estate Commission will double-check all the information, and also they will determine the basis of your character by the criminal history. You also need to provide handling financial transactions and other personal information. This is a part of your application process. The Application Fee is $160.
In order to keep your license, you need to complete 12 hours of continuing education during each licensing term. It should consist of 6 hours of coursework about core topics and ethics. The other six hours must be electives. You can use continuing education to focus on topics that interest you more or the topic that in your opinion will help you in your career.
To verify a realtor in New Jersey you can simply do it online. In this search, you need to provide the real estate’s name, the licensee’s Reference Number, the License Type, and the License Status.
In order to find your New Jersey real estate license number, visit the State of New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) website where you can find an online search tool or use LicenseLookup.org.
Obviously, you can take coursework online, and also you can apply for a license online. But you still need to get your pre-licensing education and experience.
You need to pay:
You can find all other licensing fees here.